Mr. Potato

By: Anjali Khatri

 

I wake up on the Pacific Coast

Around me are many of my friends

Like Leftover Nachos and chili

Oh, their odor still offends.

 

I look around and wonder out loud,

“Where I was before

I was about to be taken

Down to the ocean floor?”

 

Where was I before?

 

Ah yes! I was with young Jimmy!

A lump of a twelve year old boy

His hands were thick and pudgy

His mouth ready to enjoy

 

Oh how Jimmy smothered me

with so much salty ketchup

Some of me went in his mouth

Then some in the trashcan pickup.

 

Where was I before?

 

I was in the kitchen crates

of Ladybird School.

Along with my other wary eyed friends

like a pebble in the pool

 

But then they undressed me

Eyes and all

They cut me up too

Into pieces skinny and  tall.

 

I felt myself being dropped  

Into a raging fire

Fire or fryer?

Oh how excruciating was the oil mire!

 

The oil was pure anguish

Draining me of all energies

I was weak,  limp, useless to all

A healthy tuber became empty calories

 

But where was I before?

 

Buried deep beneath the soil

Ready with potassium,  Vitamin C

Ready to taste the fresh air

Ready to feed a child sufficiently

 

But instead the school board decided for me to be  french fries.

 

Now that you have heard what I have to say,

I hope you remember one thing

School children are being fattened as they eat away,

away at oleaginous grub

 

So take a stand, be heard!

End this shameful malnutrition

Let a new movement be spurred

of health, fitness, and well being!

 

Let us boil our potatoes lean!

Saute our vegetables,

with a side of collard greens

Oh how children will love sweet fruit we bring!

 

I mean not to preach,

I am only a potato, you see

But if it were in my reach,

I’d change what came on those plastic trays.

 

Our children, we must nourish

to be healthy and strong

So why not let them flourish?

Healthy school lunches and all.